Are you a visitor scared to park on Ball State campus? Finally, a solution

The C1 commuter parking lot at Ball State University is north of Worthen Arena. The University now offers a parking permit at $5 per day, which allows a visitor to park in any yellow or green marked lots across campus.(Photo: Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press)

MUNCIE, Ind. — Let's face it, parking at Ball State can be intimidating. With so many different color-coded lots, you probably fear you'll park your car in the wrong spot, earning yourself a pricey parking ticket.

We know this has been an issue for those in the Muncie community, as parking was a hot topic at all three of the Better Together community forums organized by Ball State and Star Press in the fall of 2017.

Well, Ball State has shared a possible fix to this problem.

If you're a member of the general public — not a student, faculty or staff member at Ball State — you can now buy a visitor parking permit at $5 per day, which allows a visitor to park in any yellow or green marked lots across campus.

So, how can you obtain one of these permits? The process can be conveniently done online. Start by visiting Ball State's website. Its section on visitor permits has a button that reads, "buy a permit." You'll then set up a guest account with a valid email address and provide specific information when you register: license plate number and expiration date, vehicle make, color and year.

Yellow lots are those designated for faculty and staff, while the green lots are for commuters. Here are where some of the bigger, more prominent green and yellow lots are:

Between Bethel and McKinley Avenues on campus' north side, next to Cardinal Creek Tennis Courts

To the north and east of Worthen Arena

Just south of the L.A. Pittenger Student Center, between Gilbert and North streets

Then, print the permit and place it on the driver side of your vehicle, in clear view so officials can see it.

Just a reminder: These passes are only for visitors. Ball State's website says those students, faculty and staff caught violating this will have their parking privileges revoked for one calendar year. (Yikes!) And these passes don't provide permission for parking in the garages, which hold their own pay machines, or meters.

Visitors also can purchase a pass at the parking services office, located in Room L-1 of the L.A. Pittenger Student Center on University Avenue. The office's hours are 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. during the fall and spring semesters and 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. during the summer.